marijuana
How many people smoke marijuana ?
At what age do children generally start ? |
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Marijuana is the most frequently used illegal drug in the U.S. Nearly 69 million Americans age 12+ have tried marijuana at least once. About 10 million had used the drug in the past 30 days. According to GDCADA’s 2003 Dallas County Drug Impact Index, the average age of first trying marijuana is 13.5 years-old. |
| If I’m near someone who is smoking pot, will I test positive for it ? |
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Passive inhalation of marijuana smoke is sometimes given by people as a reason for their positive urine test. Studies show that it is highly unlikely that a non-smoking individual could inhale enough secondhand smoke to result in a positive urine test.
In tests at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, individuals were placed in a tiny unventilated room, and exposed to the smoke of 4, then 16 marijuana cigarettes for one hour a day, six straight days. After exposure to smoke from 16 marijuana cigarettes (in smoke so dense that volunteers needed goggles to protect their eyes), the percentage of positive urine tests was nearly equivalent to that of a person smoking one marijuana cigarette. |
| How can I tell if my teen has been using marijuana ? |
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A person under the influence of marijuana might exhibit some of these signs:
• dizziness, trouble walking
• seem silly and giggle for no reason
• dry mouth
• very red, bloodshot eyes
• unusually large appetite (“the munchies”)
• hard time remembering things that just happened
Watch for changes in behavior. Look for withdrawal, depression, fatigue, carelessness with grooming, hostility, and deteriorating relationships with family members and friends. Other warning signs that could be related to drug abuse include changes in academic performance, increased absenteeism or truancy, lost interest in sports or other favorite activities, and changes in eating or sleeping habits. However, these signs may also indicate problems other than use of drugs.
Parents should also be aware of:
• drug paraphernalia, including pipes / rolling papers
• odor on clothes and in the bedroom
• use of incense and other deodorizers
• frequent use of eye drops
• clothing, posters, jewelry, etc. promoting drug use
Parents always have the option of drug testing their children. A physician can arrange laboratory testing. Your local drug store will also carry an assortment of reliable home testing kits, as will a number of Internet sites.
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| Can marijuana be used as medicine ? |
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In considering possible medical uses of marijuana, it’s important to distinguish between whole marijuana and pure THC or other specific chemicals derived from cannabis.
Whole marijuana contains hundreds of chemicals, some of which are clearly harmful to health. THC, manufactured into pill form and taken orally, not smoked, can be used for treating the nausea and vomiting that go along with certain cancer treatments and is available by prescription. Another chemical related to THC (nabilone) has been approved by the FDA for treating cancer patients who suffer nausea. The oral THC is also used to help persons living with HIV maintain their body weight.
Scientists are studying whether marijuana, THC, and related chemicals in marijuana may have other medical uses. More research needs to be done on marijuana’s side effects and potential benefits before it can be recommended for medical use.
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prevention
| When are youth most likely to start using drugs ? |
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Research shows that the vulnerable times for most children are periods of “transition,” when growing from one developmental stage to another. But exposure to risks can start even before a child is born; this is one reason that mothers are advised to abstain from alcohol and other drugs during pregnancy.
The first big transition for children is when they leave the security of the family and enter school.
When they advance from elementary school to middle school or junior high, they often face social challenges, such as learning to get along with a wider group of peers. It’s at this stage, early adolescence, that children are likely to encounter drug use for the first time.
Later on, upon entering high school, youth face social, psychological, and educational challenges as they prepare for the future, and these challenges can lead to use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
When young adults go on to college, get married, or enter the workforce, they again face new risks from alcohol and other drug abuse in their new adult environment.
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